Gentle as Water
by Astra H. Lowelle
Summary: The Green Ninja (pre-Grundle-aging-incident) is sick. He doesn't want to take his medicine or lie down. Jay does NOT want to babysit, and nor do the other ninja, but Sensei can't stay...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks to C.H. for her ideas on this piece.**

"Are you _kidding_ me, Sensei?" Cole exclaimed. "_That's_ our mission for today?"

The ninja master shut his eyes. "A ninja must be like the waves- gentle at times, forceful at times. You must learn both disciplines."

"Yeah, but-" Kai glanced around in agitation. "Getting the brat- I mean, Lloyd- to take medicine and lie down? What are we, babysitters?"

"For the day, yes," Wu said calmly. "I must go the suppliers to re-stock my teas. Lloyd is ill and refuses to rest. He is the Green Ninja- he must not come to harm."

"I don't wanna babysit Lloyd," Jay moaned. "Plus, he's not gonna want to go to sleep if we're doing anything even remotely exciting."

"I leave it to you, my ninja," Wu said calmly. "Perhaps Nya can assist you. I must go now."

It had been nearly half an hour, and six people cooped up in one room, and Lloyd still refused to take medicine or lie down.

"Just sit down, Lloyd, okay?" Cole begged, not for the first time. "Seriously, just sit down on the couch. You can still be in on the action."

Lloyd coughed violently, sighed, and nodded. "Fine. But I'm not going to sleep. I'm staying awake and watching you guys."

Jay helped Lloyd onto the couch and brought him a blanket. Lloyd wrinkled his nose. "Are you trying to make me tired?"

"No," Jay said nonchalantly. "I just thought you'd want this is case your fever gets worse."

Lloyd sniffled, blew his nose, and took the blanket. He dropped his head wearily back onto the couch cushion, eyelids drooping.

"A little sleepy, Green Ninja?" Kai teased. Lloyd's eyes opened quickly.

"No! I'm _not!_ I'm just- um- squinting. To make sure no Serpentine are hiding in a corner."

"Leave it, Kai," Nya murmured to her brother. "Let me try."

Kai shrugged. "Okay, but he hasn't listened to any of us."

Nya winked and disappeared inside the kitchen.

She emerged a few minutes later with six cups of tea on a tray, along with a bowl of sugar cubes.

"I've already sweetened the tea in all the cups except the green-patterned one," she whispered to Kai as she handed him the tray. "Make sure Lloyd gets the green cup, and nobody take any sugar except for him. Pass it on."

Kai cocked his head. "Did you spike the sugar cubes?"

"_Shhhh!_ Yes. With crushed Nigh-Tea Night leaves. Plus I put Lloyd's medicine into the tea in the green cup. So make sure Lloyd gets it."

Shaking his head in a what-will-she-do-next sort of way, Kai did as he was told.

"Thanks," Lloyd said weakly as Zane passed him his cup. "Can I have the sugar, please?"

"There's going to be a nightclub event in a couple of days," Nya announced casually to the group at large. "They're allowing some guests to get up and sing. Would you guys mind if I practiced my song now?"

"Go ahead!" Jay said excitedly. "I'm sure you'll best the best there."

Nya grinned at him. "Thanks. Right then, everybody comfortable? Lloyd, are you out of tissues?"

"No," Lloyd replied tiredly. "I still have half a b- _achoo!"_

"Half a box minus one," Cole said wisely.

Nya took a sip of tea, licked her lips, then held her spoon before her mouth like a microphone. "Hello, ladies and- well, just gentlemen for now, I guess. I'm Nya, and I'm going to sing a song for you tonight."

"Hooray!" Jay cheered, clapping. Kai elbowed him. Na bowed deeply.

"Thanks for all the support, crowd! But I haven't even started singing yet! Okay, here we go- this song is called 'Cherry Blossom Wind'."

She cleared her throat, and started to sing.

'Cherry Blossom Wind' was a lullaby, a very old one from when Ninjago was still young. One would be hard-pressed to find a citizen of the city who did not know the song. Accordingly, the ninja swayed along, Colle humming lightly along under his breath.

"The trees are shedding their petals, and the moon is watching them fly..."

Lloyd yawned, looked around quickly, saw that no one was watching him, and curled up under the blanket.

"The windows and doors are closing, the shadows dancing by..."

Cole's eyelids dropped slightly. Kai, who was trying not to laugh, nudged him discreetly and pointed to Lloyd, who was snoring softly, eyes closed in slumber.

"You did it, Nya!" Kai whispered loudly. Zane clapped quietly. Jay, eyes dreamy and unfocused, was still swaying along to Nya's tune.

"Well," Nya smiled. "That went over well. Who would've believed the Green Ninja could be so cute when he's sleeping?"

"Certainly not me," Kai said with feeling. "He can be awfully annoying when he's awake."

Cole carefully tucked the edges of the blanket around Lloyd's limp body. "Okay, let's get out of here so we don't wake him up. I am not going through the hassle of getting him back down again."

Jay gathered up the teacups and related paraphernalia, still humming the song under his breath. "So, Nya, were you serious about the nightclub thing? Because I am definitely coming to hear you."

Kai rolled his eyes as Zane discreetly rescued the teacup from Lloyd's slack fingers.


	2. Epilogue

The nightclub was completely packed, but as Dareth was MC-ing, he managed to get the ninjas seats near the front.

Nya's performance was excellent. When she got to the last note, she held it out for an extra beat, then finished with a trill and bowed low. The audience went crazy for about five minutes.

"That was completely and totally epic!" Kai crowed, crushing his sister in a hug. Zane smiled. "I concur."

"I brought this for you," Jay offered, somewhat shyly, holding out the rose he'd been hiding. Nya took it from him with a big smile and a kiss.

"Where did you get the time to practice?" Sensei Wu asked over Lloyd's fake-puking noises. "I have never heard you sing before."

"Oh, you know," Nya said airily. "Around."

"I know I've heard you before," Lloyd frowned in perplexity. "I'm positive I did."

Cole affected a look of surprise. "Huh! Well, maybe it'll come to you. How's your head feeling?"

"Tired," Lloyd yawned. "The song made me sleepy. Isn't that weird?"

"Oh, entirely," Jay answered, straight-faced. "Give it up for Cherry Blossom Wind."


End file.
